User blog:Bio21/Official Blog II
I am thinking we should create a page based on alternative biochemistry. Here are some ideas. Type A - Carbon-based life *Examples: Most lifeforms Carbon-based life is the most common form of life known in the multiverse, simply because its ability to bond with various elements makes it the perfect chemistry for life. Many intelligent species are also carbon-based, simply because Type A life is faster at evolution when dramatic changes to its environment arises. Carbon allows for life-processing molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and fats. Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur are also common in Type A life. Carbon-based life mainly uses water as a solvent (although methane and ammonia are also relatively common), so are more likely to be found on terrestrial planets between 0 and 212°F (the "Goldilocks Zone"). Exceptions can arise, such as an ice planet with a warm ocean underneath. The planet must exist in a calmer region of the galaxy, away from neutron stars, black holes and supernovae, usually requires a gas giant or large body in the system to protect it from being battered by asteroids and comets. The planet may require at one or two moons, tides are very important to the evolution of complex life. Carbon based life is quite sensitive to solar radiation, so a suitable magnetosphere, underground caverns or oceans are needed. Finally, as with all forms of life, Type A lifeforms need a heat source. Although Type A lifeforms can vary, many from different planets have similar kinds of senses, body movement and other organs, because of this, it is not unusual for two different alien species to coexist in the same environment. Different crabon-based lifeforms may breath different gases and live in different air pressures, or require more or less water, but generally their environments are never too dissimilar. Type B - Silicon-based life *Examples: Tannovek Species, Silicaformes Silicon-based life is a relatively common form of life in the multiverse, as silicon can create molecules that are sufficiently large to carry biological information. The most common solvent for silicon-based life is ammonia because silicon dioxide (a waste product excreted by oxygen-breathing lifeforms) is a non-soluble solid at the temperature range where water is liquid. Some forms of silicon-based life are just partially silicon-based, usually with silicon-based structure molecules and carbon-based proteins for metabolic purposes, and some species of sponge have structural "skeletons" of silicon dioxide. On some planets and environments, silicon-based life appears glassy or crystalline, often with crystal-like structures protruding from it. Type C - Phosphorus-nitrogen (P-N) based life *Examples: None Type C life is much less common than Type A or B. It is based on chains made of two elements, nitrogen and phosphorus, although both are common in carbon-based life too. One problem with Type C life is that part of P-N cycle is deficient in energy, as the nitrogen in the nitrogen-phosphorous cycle is depleted by solar energy, making it oxidize quickly. The presence of Type C life is indicated by nitrogen dioxide and oxygen or ammonia and hydrogen in the atmosphere, and so there is very little Type C life in the Multiverse. Type D - Ammonia-based life *Examples: Gas Giant Life, Ammoniformes Ammonia-based life (often nicknamed "bubble life") is composed, not literally of polymers based on NH3 molecules, but of various nitrogen-and carbon-containing compounds. These are usually incorporated from ammonia and light organic compounds in the surrounding medium, however. Type D life is peculiar in that many such lifeforms are gaseous in form, and often contain hydrogen and/or helium for added buoyancy. This means that, unlike almost all other forms of life, they don't use liquid solvents. Typical examples of ammonia-based life are the floating organisms on gas giants. Type E - Metal-based life *Examples: None Metal-based life is very rare, living at the extreme upper limit of planetary temperatures. Type E organisms are composed of metal-based compounds such as oxides, and typically use molten metals and/or salts as a solvent. This group also includes life formed from some metalloids such as Boron. Type F - Extreme and "Truly Alien" life *Examples: Sulformes, Tatra'Ozarva There are many species of life that are so bizarre, that interstellar civilizations often overlook them. *These include: **Type F/A: Lifeforms with more complex alternative biochemistry (sulfur-based life) **Type F/B: Nebulaic life (microscopic organisms forming large "nebula clouds" in space) **Type F/C: Star life (advanced plasma-based life that use magnetic signals to communicate) **Type F/D: Spacetime/gravity/quantum/chemistry life (In certain regions where gravity is strong enough (in wormholes, near black holes or exposed cosmic strings), tiny singularities could form "gravitic chemistry" (Xeelee Sequence) with life that tries to organise itself out of the chaos. These lifeforms would feed on infalling matter) **Type F/E: Essence based life (often referred to as "godspawn") What does everyone think? Category:Blog posts Category:Alien Life